Minimum wage goes up

Once the increase takes effect, Alaska will go from the lowest to the highest minimum wage paid on the West Coast.

"This increase in the minimum wage will mean more expendable income for the 14,000 Alaskans who make between $5.65 and $6.74 per hour," Greg O'Claray, commissioner for the Department of Labor, said in prepared statement.

Automatic increases will take effect each January thereafter based on increases in the Anchorage Consumer Price Index. Alaska wages also will increase automatically with increases in the federal minimum wage, adjusting the state's minimum wage to $1 higher than the national minimum wage.